Geound



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. J. I. METTLER.

ATTACHMENT FOR HOLDING SIGKLE BARS WHILE BEING GROUND.

No. 340,346. Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets--Sheet 2. J. I. METTLER.

ATTACHMENT FOR HOLDING SIOKLE BARS WHILE BEING GROUND. No. 340,346.Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

g i l Illllllll Wibzeww NITED STATES ATENT JAMES I. METTLER, OF ORESTON,ILL, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CHARLES \VOODiVARD,OF SAME PLACE.

ATTACHMENT FOR HOLDING SlCKLE-BARS WHILE BEING GROUND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,346, dated April20, 1886.

Application filed March 13, 1885. Serial No. 15 ,707. (No model.l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1. JAMES I. METTLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at (Jreston, in the county of Ogle and State 5 ofIllinois, have invented certain Improvements in AttachmentstoGrindstonesfor Holding Sickle- Bars, Mowing- Machine Knives,

Scythes, 850., while being Ground; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear,

[ and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an adjustable frame for usein connection withgrindstones l'or holding the sickle-bar of a mowing-machine or otherlong-bladed knife While being sharpened, the object being to hold theknil'esteady against the face of the grindstone at a predeterminedangle, whereby its several parts or saw-teeth 2c are evenly andcompletely sharpened at corresponding bevels, the edge of a saw-toothedk nil'e, scythe, or other long-bladed cutter being by my improvementsheld atthe same pitch or angle to the face of the grindstone, in orderthat every tooth or part thereofshall be ground down to the same bevel.

Although I have represented the device as operating upon a sicklebar,the invention is equally well adapted for use in the grinding ot scylhesand other knife-edges.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofmy improvements applied to a grindstonelrame. Fig. 2 represents avertical elevation, partly in sec- 5 tion, the section being takenthrough the line a l) of Fig. 1, to show the manner in which the knivesare held in position against the grimlstone. Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing a metal tie-plate, for strengthening the frame of the 4:grindstone.

A represents the grindstone supporting frame; B; the grindstone; O O,the double foot-treadles; and D, an adjustable seat for the operative,said seat being secured in position 5 by a bolt, b. having bearing in acrtss bar,

a, on the under side of the framing.

D represents the table, upon which the adjustable sickle-bar frame, tobe presently described. is supported.

a represents a longitudinal slot formed in the table D.

a represents a curved metallic base-plate, which is secured to theslotted table, with capability of easy and rapid circular movement.andalso longitudinal adjustment thereon, and toward and from thegrindstone by a bolt, b, having a suitable securing-nut.

1) represents upwardly ext-ending ears. formed on the respective ends ofthe curved base-plate a. These ears are provided with holes I)". throughwhich is passed abent rod, I), having upwardly-extending arms havingloop ends 0.

0' represents a straightrodpassed between the upper looped ends of thebent rod 12 and connectiiw the same, the respective ends of said rod 0extending a short distance beyond the outer faces of the arms of the rodbite receive two bracket-arms, d (I. one of which is loosely held uponeach of said projecting'ends of the rod 0 by nuts 0 on the ends of saidrod 0'.

o represents stop-nuts on the rod c,within and bearing against the innerfaces of the upright arms of the bent rod 1).

(1 represents holes formed in the bracketarms (Z, to receive and looselyhold the sickleholding bar d".

d" represents rests formed on or near the endsti' thesickle-holding bar:i",for the double 8o purpose of afl'ording means whereby said bar mayrest upon the frame orothersuitablesupport. and also of affording restsor supports for the ends'ot' the sickle or knife while being operatedupon.

(1* represents a central stop or clampingpiate extending transverselyfrom the upper face of the sickle-holding bar,t'or the purpose ofholding the knives in position and preventing their upward niovementwhile be ng 9 ground.

E represents the tongs, by means of which thesickle under treatment isclamped and held in position. Of these two pairs are employed.

e 6' represent the handles, the lower member. e, of which has at its jawor gripping end a hole. 6, within and through which the bent or curvedjaw end (3 of the upper member, e, is passed and locked. By this con- Istruction and manner of connecting the jaw ends of the two arms of thetongs a hingeconnection is formed at their jaw ends, by means of whichthe handles may be turned aside to permit of the insertion between themof the sickle f. When the sickle has been placed in position, the bentarm or handle e is turned around to a position above thelower arm orhandle, thereby bringing the rearwardly-curved portion of the handle 0into clamping contact with the sickle, and thereby securely holding saidsickle rigidly in position upon the holding-bar d The straightconnecting-rod 0 serves as a support and guide for the lower handles ofthe tongs to rest upon, enabling each section of the knife to be groundto the same predetermined bevel. Without the guide and supporting rod 0it is obvious that the same bevel could not be preserved throughout thelength of the knife, as were such guide-rod absent the operative wouldnaturally feed the knife in an irregular manner.

In order to strengthen the frame supporting the grindstone a metaltie-plate (shown in detail in Fig.3.) is used. This is constructed asfollows: 9 9' represent metal tie-plates, and g a cross-bar interposedbetween the ends of the frame'bars A. The ends of the frame-bars A andthe cross bar are clamped together by a bolt, I1, passed therethrongh.The tie-plates 9 have flanged sides which lap over the ends of thecross-bar y the tie-plates g having similar side fiangesJf,whichoverlapthe sides ofthe bars A at right angles to the flanges of plates 9, asclearly represented in the drawings. These flanged plates may have theirflanges attached to thebars A and g by screws and bolts, if desired. Bythis construction and arrangement the ends of the grindstonesupportingframe are effectively braced and strengthened, whereby they are renderedvery strong,and will not be injuriously affected by very rough usage orheavy work.

In order to adjust the sickle or knife and its holding device to theproper position the curved base plate a is loosened in its support, thesickle-bar or knife is then placed in the appropriate position upon theholding-bar d", to bring the teeth or edge thereof at the desired angletothegrindstone at which they are to be ground,said bar d", bent rodb'*, and baseplate a being correspondingly turned or slid either backward or forward, as the case may be, whereupon upon the desired positionof the article to be ground being thus secured relatively to thegrindstone the nut on the bolt b is tightened upon the base-plate,thereby securely clamping the same and securing the knife-holding framein the appropriate position for securing the regular grinding of theknife, scythe, or other article to be ground.

The operator while grinding may at any time obtain a view of the underedge of the knife being sharpened by simply bearing backward upon thetongs,using the guide-bar c as a fulcrum, by which act thesickle-holding bar d, bracket-arms d, and sickle or knife will be rockedor swung rearwardly and upwardly, so as to bring the under side of theknife to view.

To effectasufficientadiustment of the knifeholding frame it willsometimes be necessary (such, for instance, as when the knife to besharpened is of considerable widtln) to move the seat as well as thebase-plate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith a grindstoneframe, the adjustable seat and table and the adjustable sickle-bar frame having at its upper portion a tong-supportingand guiding bar, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a grindstoneframe, of a slotted table orsupport, a curved base-plate adjustably connected to said slotted tableand having upwardly extending ears, an upwardly-extending bent barsupported within the cared base-plate, and having at its upper portion aconnecting and tong supporting and guide bar and bracket-arms, asickleholding bar supported within said bracketarms, and tongs forgripping the sickle or knife, substantially as set forth.

3. A sickle bar frame consisting of an ad justable base-plate, uprightrod or rods held at their lower part in the base-plate and at theirupper ends by a horizontal guide and supporting rod, said horizontal rodsupporting and guiding the tongs and sickle-bar support in theirtransverse movements, the bracket-arms and sickle-bar holder. and thetongs for holding the sickle bar in position, constructed and operatedsubstantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES I. METTLER.

Witnesses:

WM. McBRIDE, J. P. LORD.

